


Waxing of the Heart

by Xarnluz



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, POV Second Person, Rated mature for language half spicy scenes and typical werewolf fighting, Self-Insert, Werewolf AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:27:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25293166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xarnluz/pseuds/Xarnluz
Summary: You've been given the deed to a cabin in the woods, left by your late grandfather. Unknowingly, he had left you something else as well. Something that changed your world with the waning of the moon.
Relationships: Anzu/Oogami Kouga, Oogami Kouga/Reader
Comments: 4
Kudos: 26
Collections: Enstars Rarepair Week





	1. Seasons

**Author's Note:**

> Part one of the wolf AU that got out of hand. Apologies for any out of character behaviour, plot holes, and pathetic attempts at describing dramatic scenes. 
> 
> This chapter is for #ESrareshipweek prompt - seasons.

The leaves are warm caramel and bright apple red, shivering in autumn's chilly breeze. Fallen brethren lay at the base of old knotted trunks. Atop a chopped oak's stump lies a weather beaten gym bag filled with a pair of worn jogging pants and matching grey sweater. Fresh boxers and shoes with socks stuffed into the toes are also tucked in neatly. 

You sit cozily by the hearth, wrapped in a navy shawl, sipping hot cocoa with more marshmallows than the mug can hold. The sun is about to set on this moonless night and you wanted to be awake for it. 

Hanging from the cabin wall is a calendar filled with pen markings documenting the lunar cycle and a single hook for a notepad you received during a local trading market. It hung as cock-eyed as the words written on its pages but you never thought to fix either. 

You've mended enough things in your life--a banged up cabin, a dead end career, a broken heart; it was time to let things just be. You were content with that; sitting on the floor in front of a calming fire, listening to the trees scrape against window panes. 

That used to terrify you in the beginning. Alone in the woods and suddenly someone was trying to pry your windows open. Or the creaking of the roof when snow built up too much. Like someone was up there just waiting for the moment you left. It makes you chuckle now, knowing that there might have been. Maybe not a killer out for your blood, but a guardian of some sort; making sure you were holding up while living alone. 

You saw it sometimes. Running through the forest fast as lightning. 

Years ago when you had first acquired the shabby shack from your late grandfather, you thought the place was overrun with wolves with all the tracks you'd see around the clearing. You almost left right then. Only the thought of trying to restart a life you hated stopped you. Living in the city surrounded by noise and unreachable expectations weren't for you. Being able to run away from it all was a blessing. As cliche as it seemed at the time, you were happy to be able to escape. Escape into the wilderness where time had no meaning; hunger your only obligation. Your mind finally at peace.

The paw prints that circled your new cabin disappeared shortly after settling in, but they still frightened you. Some nights you would lie awake waiting for the howling that signaled an ambush to start. They never did. The trees never smashed the glass. The roof never caved in. As time went on you became accustomed to the sounds, to the smells. To the timelessness. 

The hinges of the front door creak and you straighten up a bit from slumping in front of the warm fire. Before you're able to put your nearly empty mug aside, strong tanned arms wrap around your blanket covered shoulders. 

"I'm surprised you're still awake," a warm, deep voice murmurs in your ear.

You sigh as you lean back into the embrace.

"I had a nap," you reply matter-of-factly, finally putting the mug down to fully turn and return the hug. You breathe in his musky scent. The smell of pine and sweat. "I missed you."

His arms tighten around you, left hand moving to your neck cradling it firmly, and leans in for your lips. You meet him with the same desperation. The need to feel him overwhelms you. It always does. Your mouth moves with his, tongues darting between you, teeth nipping your lips. 

Your blanket falls off your shoulders completely as you climb into his lap, not breaking the kiss. Your hands roam over that stupid grey sweater you always leave out until you feel the frayed hem. Then you're sneaking your way inside it, hands trailing up his firm torso to his chest and back down. You grip at his back when he sucks on your tongue, nails digging into shoulder blades. 

The nights were longer now that winter was ever closer, but even still they weren’t long enough. The moonless nights were never long enough. 

  
  
  


You don't fully remember how long you lived in the woods alone for before you found him. It was nearly winter, maybe even your first one, and you were out collecting your last haul of firewood when you heard a  _ shnk _ . Like metal springing. You realized it was the sound of an animal trap and instead of waiting for morning's light, you went in search of it. It wasn't a smart move. Not with night rolling in and no moon to shine your way. All you carried was a tiny flashlight which you shakily held in your hand. You almost talked yourself out of continuing when you spotted not a struggling animal like you thought, but a buck naked guy pulling at a metal claw around his leg. 

When your flashlight shone on him, he whipped his head around. Eyes feral, mouth in a snarl ready to bite. You cautiously approached. He didn't look like a hunter or a drunkard who somehow stumbled onto private property. He looked around your age, maybe a few years older, or was that just the shadows from the flashlight aging him? 

Whoever he was, he had a trap around his ankle and if he wasn't terrified of it you definitely were. How long had it been out there? What if that was you?! Your cautious approach turned more determined the louder your panicked heart beated. 

"Here let me help you," you tried to sound calm, but you didn't feel any of that. You only felt your chest tightening at the thought of what his leg must look like. From where you first stood, he was twisted so you saw mostly his back. Now your flashlight threatened to blind him as you tried to shove it in a pocket so you could use both hands.

"Stay away!" He yelled. His voice was rough and strained and you heard the trap spring open before you even reached him. Then you heard a pained groan. You no longer hesitated and ran the small distance to him.

"Don't move or you'll make it worse!" You shouted, but he didn’t listen. You saw the naked man throw the trap to the side and stand, knee buckling trying to take a step away from you.

"I said stay the hell away!" The frustrated cry and curses spilling from his mouth told you differently. 

Ripping off your scarf, you stood beside him. He looked up at you with fresh blood smeared across his cheek, but that didn’t deter you. 

You knelt in front of him and moved his bloody hands away from his ankle.

"Oh gross," you whispered and he must have heard you because he was quick to spit an insult. 

"I am not leaving some naked stranger injured in my backyard, okay? So shut up and suck it up." Each word was punctuated with a yank on your scarf to cover the wound. "My house isn't that far. You can rest there." 

Without waiting for a reply you stuck yourself under his armpit and hoisted him up. His words lost their bite the closer you got to your cabin when you could feel his energy leave him. The more he leaned against you the further your desire to say 'I told you so' bubbled up, but you kept a lid on it. He could thank you properly in the morning.

You barreled through the front door and laid him on the log couch. At this point he just let you. You covered him somewhat with a blanket before fluttering around the house for antiseptics and real bandages and the baggiest clothes you had. 

"Where did you even come from?" You asked while dabbing water at the gouge. It was as gross as you thought only more so with the lighting of the house. His foot twitched at the stings from the antiseptic and your mouth twitched at how deep those teeth sank into him. The healing was going to be ugly. 

He turned his head away and grunted. 

"You know I own this land right? Not sure how far it goes to be honest but still…" you unraveled the bandage and started to wrap it around his leg. "What were you even doing out there? Naked? You some kind of weird cultist?" 

"No!" He finally turned back to glare at you. "Gramps said you were stubborn, but damn you're annoying," he muttered under his breath. 

"Uh excuse me?" You started to clean up the bloody cloths around you, putting them in the bowl of stained water. "Gramps? Like my grandfather? Did you know him?" 

The dude, now wearing the only nightgown you own, sat up from the couch. He clasped his hands between his knees and hunched over. Face just inches from yours. 

"Yeah." Is all he says. 

You looked up at him. Now that you could see him more clearly, he was actually quite handsome. Grey hair a little untamed, amber eyes adorned with tiny lashes to match. They held their ferocity even still. Black rimmed and piercing. Somehow that didn’t scare you, even with the tiny streak of blood painting his lid and cheek, maybe because now he was in your territory. And wounded. That gave you a little leeway. 

"Yeah?" You questioned. "He never said anything about you though."

You could see the gears turning in the stranger's head when he looked away and sighed. Like there was so much more to say, but didn’t want to get into it. He said you were annoying. Well, you could be annoying.

"Can I get a name at least? So when you get charged with trespassing I know who I'm talking about." 

He turned back to you with a smirk threatening his lips. He leaned his elbow on his good leg and cocked his head.

"You're not going to do that." He played. "Gramps also said you were nice."

"You're right. I'm not." You pursed your lips. "What was Gramps like?" 

You barely remembered the man to be honest. He was your mother's father and she left with you to the city before you entered grade school. Growing up she always hated trips to the countryside or when you asked to head out to the beach. She liked the hustle and bustle of downtown. It suffocated you. 

"He was crazy," he laughed. "For an old man he was crazy strong. When he first caught me hanging around he hoisted me over his shoulder like it was nothing. I let my guard down, let myself get caught..."

He straightened himself before leaning back on your couch cushions, staring at the ceiling. 

"He built this entire place himself, he said. Took him a few. Said he was running out of time and wanted it for his grandkid," he said slowly. "He'd let me go if I didn't cause a fuss. To just ‘be a good boy and watch the house’. I remember him throwing me in the river. I flew! Dude was mad strong!"

You giggle at the thought of your grandfather throwing some weird kid into the river. The only memories you had of him were photo albums and the annual sleepovers mom let you go on. In the books he really did look like the typical outdoorsman. Always in hunting gear, or fishing gear, skin blazing from the constant sun. Your mother in those looked miserable and you liked to tease her about it when you were young. There were only a few photos of you and him. Outfits matching for the day, smiles as bright as the sun. It made you wonder if that was where you should have been all along.

"Anyway, I did hang around. Then he just disappeared and you showed up."

"So what? A naked guy has been hiding in my backyard? Pervert."

He bristled.

"Today was just fucked up, okay?" Didn’t deny it. "I was supposed to be out of here by nightfall and then I got .. got." He motioned to his leg. "Ah! Stupid!" 

He slumped over himself, as you lean your arms against the couch. You were far too close to a stranger but you couldn't help yourself. This might have been the most human interaction you had in awhile.

"I never did get a name." You whispered.

He turned his head your way and you could feel his breath on your face.

"Koga."

"Koga." You smiled.

You stood and stretched, reaching down for the bowl of rags. You basically ordered him to sleep on the couch and you'd fix the dressings in the morning. You gave a softer goodnight before heading upstairs to your own room. The bowl was left in the bathroom for the morning. It was too late, and you were exhausted. Adrenaline no longer held you awake.

You opened the curtains to look outside one last time before jumping into bed. With the moon gone the only light around was coming from your house. It was dark as pitch which made you even more curious. Why was he out there? Thoughts of him being a murderer and you willingly letting him in were shoved to the back of your mind as you settled into bed. He couldn’t even walk up the stairs, it was fine. Probably.

Just before sunrise you heard the creaking of a door and you bolt up still half asleep. You called for Koga and got no reply. Looking out the window you thought you saw a flash of something but couldn't be sure so you begrudgingly darted downstairs to check on him.

Empty.

You swore under your breath and tried to tell yourself it was whatever. No. He didn't even fully close the door, that prick. You peeked outside and called him one last time, only to see dried bloody bandages roll with the wind and your nightgown torn and stuck to a pile of firewood. 

When you're more awake and outside again, you'll see wolf tracks leaving your doorstep.

  
  
  


You twist in bed, half naked, and snuggle back into Koga's bare chest. It's now littered in bite marks you know will heal once the sun comes up. You can see it threatening to do so in the window. That only makes you snuggle harder and get a deep chest rumble in response. 

"Mornin'," He says, voice clear and not sleep groggy like your own.

"Mmm," is all you supply.

Koga kisses you again while peeling your arms off him. You hate this part. This last kiss. You put your all into it knowing you probably have minutes left with how bright the sun is getting over the horizon.

You're still clinging to him as you walk downstairs and onto the front porch.

"You don't have to watch me every time y'know," he says, taking off his boxers in broad daylight. "It's embarrassing."

You accept the offered undies and smile.

"What are you going to do about it?" You tease, and before he can retort he's on his knees convulsing. 

Legs grow coarse fur that match the colour of his hair. Bones crack and pop disgustingly as legs are reformed. Claws sprout from his fingertips as those too shrivel and shape into giant paws. He never lets you see his face during the transformation, only when it's done. You can only imagine the pained expressions he makes as his jaw splits and reshapes, skeleton warping and just as quickly regenerating. He turns to you now with the face of a beast, and presses his muzzle to your belly once before running off into the woods until the next new moon when his curse wanes.   
  


That morning, after seeing your shredded nightgown, you were left in a daze. Where did he go? Was he eaten? He must have been attacked! There were wolf tracks! At your door! If your grandfather really did entrust him to take care of the house then wouldn't Koga have felt obligated to fight off whatever was out there? He was hurt though and you didn't even stitch him up like you should have because who even has that kind of stuff in a first aid kit? It's always bandaids and peroxide. Maybe the fancy gauze pads in multiple sizes. Never needle and people thread. You made a mental note to buy that for next time … if Koga ever returned.

Weeks passed and you continue on continuing on. 

Preparing for winter meant stocking up on food and supplies so you camped out by the riverside, prepping for a long day of fishing and filleting. Mind was numb to the world except for the occasional pull of your fishing reel. You paused to gut and clean when the fish piled up. Easier outside where the innards would be picked at by other wildlife than bringing them back full to your cabin. 

Easier until a shadow caught your attention and you fumbled your filleting knife, slicing your palm. You cried out in agony trying not to panic. You did bring a kit. You could clean it before raw fish infected it. Bandage it up. Stitch it even if you had to. You didn't want to have to. This outdoors life was starting to make you miss easy calls for paramedics.

Instead you sat there gripping your hand feeling the blood slowly drip from it; gripping your hand and staring into the eyes of a predator across the river. You had no time to even think before it was leaping over the river rocks and running toward you. He smelt your blood and now you were its next victim. It got Koga and now you were wounded and unguarded.

"Please," your voice shook. Your vision swam, from panic or pain or tears you couldn't be sure. "Please. Have the fish. Have it all! Just stay.. stay away." 

It stopped a handful of meters in front of you. Its eyes locked with yours. All the knowledge you held about wildlife screamed for you to look away, to never make direct eye contact with a wild animal, but you couldn’t. It's golden orbs bored into yours. Trapped you. 

Your hand sliding through the blood from your cut was what finally pulled your gaze away from its. Scrambling for the first aid kit while constantly looking back up to see if the wolf came any closer, you patched yourself up enough to escape. A slap of a gauze pad and you were grabbing your fishing gear, and slowly but determinedly walking back home half backwards so the wolf never left your sight. Fish and knife left by the riverside. 

The wolf just stood there. Staring.

You finally reached home, slammed the door shut, and took the biggest breath of your life. Like you've been holding it for ages, you probably had been. After you calmed down, you fluttered about the house washing your cut, and deciding that you didn't need stitches and just wrapped your palm tightly hoping that would be good enough. 

You didn't sleep easily. Nor did you want to leave your lodge the next morning. The farthest you went was the front steps to grab a couple logs of wood for your hearth. Next to the pile though was your fillet knife. Didn't you leave that by the river? You're pretty sure you did.

Curiosity got the better of you and you took a few cautious steps off your porch to peek around. You squint your eyes trying to see through the forest and seeing that damned wolf lying in the brush sent a jolt through you. No way he brought that back? Did he? That would be nuts! You were going nuts! 

"I'm onto you!" You shouted at it and marched back inside, mind jumbled up.

Twice that thing approached you, and twice you were left alone. What was it waiting for?

  
  
  


You've been waiting for winter all year and finally it's arrived and you flutter about the cabin humming away, clearing up your crocheting mess. It's a hobby you recently started and you find it fun and relaxing, if a bit frustrating when you forget to count, and the tiny little yarn friends you have plopped on top of the fireplace can attest to that. 

Winter was your favourite season. The snow looks gorgeous under the full moon, twinkling like stars on land. The actual stars outside twinkle even more brightly. You live in the perfect location to become an astronomer, if you ever wanted to take that hobby up seriously. Wide clearing for stargazing. Large front window for more stargazing. 

You only cared for the moon though. The waxing and waning of it tracked on your calendar. You hyper focus on the waning. Even more so in winter. Longer nights meant longer visits and you cherished every second of them. The timelessness of your 'lady in the woods' stint had worn off. Now you wanted time. Always needed more time. And this year you are being given it. Winter solstice started yesterday and tonight was the new moon. Basically the longest night ever and you were going to bask in it.

You're in the middle of preparing dinner when you hear a thud at your door. You excitedly run to it and open it full force only to look down at the critter sniffing your slippers.

"And just who do you think yo--" you're cut off by lips assaulting yours. Raccoon forgotten, you fall into the kiss. You melt into it, like the snowflakes landing on both of you. You step back into the warmth of your house and close the door to the chill.

Cold hands grab at your waist and you jump.

"Your hands are ice!" You protest, half laughing into the kiss while trying to wiggle out of his grasp.

"Well someone forgot to leave me a coat this time," Koga bites back, sticking his icicle fingers further up your back and down your sides. 

Finally freeing yourself, you toss the throw hanging over the couch at him. 

"Warm up a bit. I'm still making dinner." 

"Could smell it a mile away," he teases. 

You roll your eyes. Of course he did. Him and his wolf senses. 

Dinner was a romantic candle lit one, until Koga sits down and immediately blows out your floral scented candle claiming it messed with his nose. You allow the insult if only because 28 days of the month you can light them to your fancy. 

You eat in relative silence. Clinking silverware and sneaking glances between the two of you. You catch him smiling as you take a larger bite than necessary and end up with half of it back on your plate.

"See your table manners haven't improved," he quips.

"Is there a point when you're probably a slob when I'm not looking," you retort. 

His eyes turn to slits as he glares at you; never leaving yours as he sinks his fangs into the cooked thigh he holds in his hands. 

You smile around your fork as you take another bite, this time getting it all in your mouth. You've won this battle.

After dinner you both do dishes. Koga washes while you put them away. Occasionally he bumps his hip against yours and snarks when you can't return with the same strength. You have to retaliate with flinging soap bubbles into his face, and listening to him snort when it slips up his nose instead.

Afterwards you two flop on the couch, full and satisfied. You throw your legs up over Koga's lap and grab for your bag of crocheting needles. Digging around you grab onto your newest project and plop it atop your stacked legs.

"How many of these things are you even making?" He asks incredulously, gaze moving towards the mantle. "Got your own little pack it looks like."

You also look at your tiny collection. What started out as a beginner's trial of a moon (ball with a cute little face), had at some point turned into a mini assembly of yarn wolves and stars with cute little faces. You've gotten pretty good if you do say so yourself. Even trading a few in town for more supplies.

"Want me to make you a chew toy?" You joke booping Koga on the nose with the newest one who was still missing his legs. 

Koga pounces on you, knocking your crochet bag askew. Your legs intertwine on the couch as he kneels over you.

"What if I already have one?" He quietly asks before leaning in and attacking. 

You immediately close your eyes and let out a moan as his tongue flicks over your neck, sucking on the spot you love behind your ear. His tongue darts to your lobe and circles your helix before delving into your ear completely. Hearing his heavy breathing so close only spurs you on. Taking initiative you reach for the drawstring of his sweatpants. Already you can feel him firming up underneath. 

You get your hands under his boxers before he pulls away to strip off his shirt, still straddling your legs. His chest is flushed and his breathing uneven. 

"Looks like someone's in heat," you murmur trailing your finger tip down his torso, through his happy trail. The colour matched his pelt and you happily run your hand through it fully, appreciating its thickness. 

"And looks like he's already claimed his victim," Koga growls, jumping off the couch and hoisting you over his shoulder. You kick for the hell of it, playing damsel in distress, as he carries you upstairs. The door to your bedroom rattles the walls as he smacks it open and tosses you on the bed. Your pleading continues but you both know it's not for him to stop.

  
  
  


You somehow survived winter without a hitch. Some nights were huddled under every blanket you owned because the firewood was looking short but you managed. With only a bicycle to get you to and from the closest town, there was little chance of you getting help with snow up to your waist in some areas. Your preserved stock of food lasted and rabbits were still abundant in the forest so you had no worries there. Plus you had a single cupboard of binge food because you knew yourself and living in the bush didn’t mean you had to give up factory made snacks. 

Walking outside now with the snow melting left you refreshed. You stretched your legs and puttered around your lodge shoveling the last of the snow away so the sun could start to dry your lawn at least. There was so much mud. You were going to have to be careful about tracking it back inside. That irritated you. 

With spring arriving, that also meant exploring the forest to see if any fruits had started to bloom yet. There was an apple orchard not far from your place you suspect your grandfather had planted at some point. You say orchard but it was more like 2 or 3 trees huddled together.

With your tall boots and stained pants you made your way through the trees for the first harvest. Checked rope traps and resituated ones that had been buried under snow and forgotten all winter. 

Leading back to the cabin was a rather steep hill and you, an idiot, weren't paying attention so when your boot slid through the slick mud and caught on a tree root there was no saving yourself. You tumbled down landing at the bottom winded and sore. You sat there for a few moments just to reflect on how much mud was caked on you; how clumsy you were and how you hadn't died yet honestly. This forest life was still new to you. You came out here in the summer when mud wasn't as vicious.

Filing that info away for future escapades, you stood back up. Or more like immediately crumbled back down into the wet soil when pain shot up your leg. Your ankle was on fire. You tried to bend it to see if it was broken, and while it didn't feel like it, there was no way you were walking home on that. Anxiety threatened to overtake you as you tried to think of a plan; crawl back home? If you had some sort of long stick you could use that as a crutch. You looked around and saw nothing. You would have to break one off yourself and that wasn't happening. You sighed and massaged your swelling ankle psyching yourself up for the painful limp home. 

_ Snap. _

The sound of twigs breaking. You turned your head and tried to see what it was. A squirrel? A fawn? There were raccoons in this wood too. At the sound of growling you quickly twisted to your left. And wolves. It was definitely male, and black and not that other one that seemed to be taunting you. You gasped and tried not to let the panic boil over. Everything in you screamed to not look it in the eyes and this time you listened. You listened and waited and tried to think back to that book you found in your grandfather's library on what to do with wild animals. 

_ Don't run _ . Easy.

_ Don't look it in the eyes _ . Absolutely not.

_ Don't fall _ . You were fucked.

_ Appear big and loud _ . How big could you possibly look already on your ass? 

You ripped off your jacket and lifted it over your head yelling for him to stay away and please piss off you're already having a bad time.

He didn't heed your warnings and started for you. You tucked yourself into a ball as per ' _ if all else fails _ ' guidelines and prayed it was a swift death. Your heart pounded in your chest as loud as the pounding of running legs through the mud. You balled up tighter hearing the sound get closer, but before he could reach you something collided with him. It sounded like a tree had slammed into him and against your better judgement you peeked out between your arms. Between the crevice you saw that timber grey wolf who always seemed to be around at the worst/best time. 

It snarled and bit at the black beast, pushing it farther away from where you were curled up. The black one retaliated with force and the sound of clanking teeth and shuffling paws echoed through the trees. It was terrifying. The guttural growling reverberated within you and the thought of that ferocity being directed at you terrified you. You couldn't move. If not before, definitely not now. Not when any movement could trigger the two to remember you were even there. You had to sit and watch and hope the winner of the fight would be yours. Yours was putting it loosely, but the thought still stood.

The fight seemed to last forever, but the canine yelp and sound of tearing flesh signaled the end of it. The grey one was able to push the other back far out of sight, only tiny specks in the distance, and the anticipation of which one was slowly advancing on you had all the blood in your body run cold. Your heart sank seeing a black dot advance towards you, lifting just as fast when that dark figure you saw was actually just because of a blood bath. It was yours. Your body went limp.

"Alright, Mr. Wolf. You can have me," you succumbed. If he fought for you that badly then what could you do? Run away? Your bum ankle cried otherwise as you unfurled yourself. "I'm yours."

It slowly approached and nudged at said bum ankle and you yelped yourself.

"Okay you sadistic prick. Don't play with your food." Its face came closer. You could feel its breath on your cheek. Could taste its kill on your tongue. Your outdoors 101 guide again urged you to not look directly at it, but you were about to die anyway, what did it even matter?

You locked eyes with him and something clicked in your mind. They were a gorgeous amber. As golden as that guy you saved. The same black rims that only made the warm yellow that much richer. You remembered thinking how strange that colour was when you held his gaze kneeling beside your couch. As strange as the natural greyish hair he had for someone so young. Hair that matched this wolf's pelt.

"I'm actually going delusional in the face of death," you muttered, not even conscious of how close your face was to this beast. "You remind me of --" He probably got eaten by that black beast if it wasn't the one in front of you, now that you thought about it. 

The wolf took another step closer, shoving itself under your arm like it was trying to act as a crutch. You cautiously planted your hand against it's back and when it didn't shake you off, you applied more force until you stood leaning against him. Its fur was coarse but still had remnants of its soft winter undercoat and your hand sunk further into it. 

Your leg burned and would definitely need ice and maybe even a splint when you got back. Hopefully it wasn't broken but that was a worry for another time. First you had this whole... thing to deal with.

Together you two slowly hobbled home. Slowly being keyword. With the mud you weren't able to hop one footed through the brush easily and putting weight on your other leg just had you clutching the wolf's back for immediate support. By the time you even see the lights of your cabin it's nightfall. That only made things worse. There was no moon to light the last stretch. 

"We're almost there," you told him, if he understood you or not. "I don't know why you're helping me but being eaten …. Well I'm glad you think I taste awful. Or maybe you're just leading me into a false sense of security. Do animals think that far?" 

You were rambling. You had to keep your focus off the fact that predators could see in this darkness and you could see that speck of light in the distance only. Your hand tightened around the coarse furs of the wolf's back, the only thing you had to trust around you even if that too was dubious. 

Just when you thought you were in the clear, passing the threshold that you could confidently say was your backyard, your hand rippled. Or more so the skin under your hand rippled. The wolf stopped moving forward and stood rigid with its skin suddenly popping under your touch as fur contracted. You ripped your hand away in shock, but that only made you lose balance and you tumbled to the ground as the sounds of splintering and popping echoed through the night. 

"Are--are you okay?" You mindlessly asked not knowing what was happening. The wolf's breath came out in rasps and you could hear it falling to the ground as the sounds of cartilage popping continued. 

Just as quickly as it came on, it stopped. The silence rang in your ears.

"Is it dead?" 

The shuffle of soil told you differently. 

"No I'm not," a male voice, familiar and exhausted, replied. Human hands reached for your arm next and you let them lift you up in your stupor. That was Koga's voice. Koga who was dead. Koga who had been dead for months! Koga who was actually a wolf all this time?  _ The _ wolf all this time?? 

You shoved your hands blindly in the direction of his face to feel it. Human nose. Human cheeks. Human lips.

"We can talk about it later," he fussed. "Let's just get the hell out of here." 

"Ok," you quietly answer, letting him pull you against his bare chest and across the last stretch of land before your house.

The two of you stumbled through the back door and tracked mud through the kitchen to the couch, but you didn't care. Too many things happening at once. Naked guy in your living room, naked guy who was  _ a wolf?  _ Possible broken ankle. Adrenaline from a wild attack. Your brain was going to explode. 

Koga was already kneeling at your feet massaging around your ankle. How the tables turned. Now it was your turn to let out little sounds when something stung. 

"Doesn't feel too bad, just a really bad sprain. You're such a klutz." He stood up and turned back for the kitchen. Cheeks out and everything and he didn't even care that you could see it all. "I'll grab some ice." 

"So explain to me what the hell that was!" You called back to him. It was driving you mad. "When you disappeared I thought you were gone gone. Like eaten alive gone. My shredded nightgown was just  _ there  _ and giant tracks were just  **_there_ ** . A shapeshifter? That's nuts!" 

Koga walked back over to you with a frozen pack of beans, wanger out and everything.

"And put on clothes please!" You blushed furiously. It might have been natural when his entire body was covered in fur, but now it was indecent. In a Lady's home! 

Koga rolled his eyes and tossed you the frozen bag. 

"And what would the princess suggest?" He bit back. 

You caught the bag before it smacked you in the face and wrapped it around your ankle.

"I don't know! A blanket, a towel? I might have pants that fit in the basket upstairs." You didn't realize you gave him access to lingerie scrounging until it was too late. He came back wearing grey sweatpants quickly enough that you tried to forget about it.

Now that things had settled down, you took note Koga still had blood caked on his face. It crusted over his messy bangs and painted one of his eyebrows. You hoped it wasn't any of his. His bare chest was devoid of bite marks or scarring which seemed really weird for a fight like that. Maybe injuries healed during his transformations? It would make sense with how much his body changed during it. As much sense as the transformation itself anyway.

Koga flung himself into the seat beside you and spread his arms across the back of the couch sighing. You reached up to chip away at the eyebrow flakes when his eyes fluttered closed.

"Thanks for saving me by the way," you muttered.

He kept his eyes closed when he replied.

"Your gramps said to take care of ya. Had to." 

You made a quizzical noise. 

"He caught me the night I was cursed," Koga confessed. "I was still young and scared as hell. What I said before about him telling me not to cause a fuss. That was me being a little shit and not knowing how wolf temper worked. I lashed out at him; left a few scars. He never said anything but I regret it. He sorta raised me."

"Like a pet," you let slip.

"Not a pet!" He spat back. "I'm a lone wolf. My own pack. I don't need anyone."

"Okay, Mr. 'I'll keep watch over this man's house who I basically owe my life to'." You glanced over. "Mr. 'I'll redeem myself by saving his grandkid to prove I'm a man of my word'. Oh sorry ‘ _ wolf _ of my word’." 

"Fuck you." 

"Thank you."

You put your hand on his thigh and gave it a tight squeeze. 

"Really. Thanks. I don't know what I would have done." 

Koga didn't look over at you and it was a good thing because you knew the thoughts racing through your head of the what-ifs were pushing you to the limits and tears threatened to fall. You tried to change the subject.

"So, how does the curse work?" You asked. "How did you even get it?" 

Koga shrugged his shoulders and let out a nonsensical sound.

"Dunno, just popped into a wolf one night and that was it. Then when there's a new moon it's like the thing in me loses its power and I'm human for as long as the night lasts."

"What were you even doing so far from town?" 

Koga slumped over his knees and cradled his forehead in his hands.

"Ran away from home. Thinking back the reason was so stupid. Parents wanted to move to the city and I said I'd rather join a pack in the forest than leave town. Ironic." 

So he ran away from home. Slept in the forest for days eating the fruits from bushes he could find. He stumbled across your grandfather's cabin and just as he thought of interacting with the man out front planting seeds, his body convulsed. Grandfather spotted him hunched over breathing heavy and ran over to help but it was too late by then. He finished his transformation and returned kindness with childish anger and lashed out at the man's chest. Only he no longer had normal strength. He had claws for killing. The only thing that lessened the attack was it was Koga's first transformation and his body was exhausted. 

The old man spoke calmly to him and flipped Koga over his shoulder and they headed back to the cabin. He pulled a wooden chair out from the wall and sat down in it, staring at Koga sitting on all fours. Said he might be delusional from old age but he'd keep Koga around if he was good. 

Koga, young and lost, listened and when he mysteriously turned human those few nights, Gramps would spend those nights talking away like nothing had changed. Just went with what was thrown at him. 

"Some days I'd lay around the house as a wolf and he'd tell me stories 'bout his kid and their kid. They lived in the city too. He had a bunch of letters he kept in a box he’d leaf through from his grandkid. Well I guess that was you." Koga cackled. "Ya loved fishing. Used to wear matching hats and had this tree branch with a worm on a string and ya just sat it in mud puddles."

You were embarrassed he knew more about younger you than you did. Did grandfather have a big mouth or what? How much else did he gush about. At the same time it pained you to think that maybe grandfather took him in because you had stopped visiting. Maybe there was a void that Koga was able to fill. Someone to reminisce with; to make new memories with.

"So you just turn human once a month and run through the forest naked and unafraid? Is that how you've been living?" You asked incredulously. 

"Gramps left clothes out for me sometimes! The times he didn't were punishment for shredding the previous pair." Koga said sheepishly.

You hummed.

"So technically I shouldn't have given you those pants, huh?" 

Koga turned his head towards you and raised his still slightly flaky eyebrow.

"I didn't ask for ‘em." You rolled your eyes.

"So now that the secret's out, does that mean you're going to stick around? Having a hunting dog would be helpful when I'm-" you motioned to your leg. "Y'know." 

"Only if you stop calling me a dog. I'm a proud lone wolf." 

"Well proud or not you should really wash that blood off. It's kind of gross." 

He took that as a cue to stand and shove you fully on the couch. He was kind enough though to prop your leg on a pillow with the frozen bag of beans. 

"And you should rest." 

You fell asleep to the sound of water running and woke to an empty house. 

The following days were spent puttering around inside. Ankle not fully functional but not sore enough to stay immobile. True to his word, Koga did return. Sometimes with prey. Sometimes without. Sometimes just to chill at your door while you hung laundry or tended to the plants in the back. 

Even after your ankle healed he stuck around. You began leaving clothes out in a bag on a stump for him when the moon waned and slowly the two of you became friends. Friends who threatened that platonic boundary with wandering hands and steamy gazes in the heat of summer. Friends who sometimes kissed on cold winter nights. You thought maybe that was fine. It was definitely fine. He was entrusted to you after all. Or maybe you, to him.

You were allowed to fall in love with the watchdog.


	2. Stars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Day 4 of #ESrareshipweek prompt - Stars
> 
> The thrilling cliched conclusion.

In your days alone, you began learning more about your grandfather. Reading through his tiny library of books, and finding that box of letters Koga had mentioned. Most of them were from your mother insisting everything was fine in the city, arranging your next sleepover; did he need anything? Some of them were just pages of scribbles, obviously from you. Some were badly worded letters about how school was going and how much you missed him. Also from you. You had stopped visiting your grandfather after reaching middle school. Too focused on grades, applying for high schools and juggling part time jobs with college. Looking for jobs that led to no promotions, men that led to no future. 

Day in and out everything felt monotonous. It was a blessing and a curse receiving a copy of your grandfather’s will. The idea of him being dead rocked you to your core. No more chances of taking a breather and going fishing. No more weeding out his plant boxes and accidentally pulling out the plants. No more chances to be a kid again. You had wasted your chances.

Your name was put on the deed to the cabin in the woods and surrounding area. It took half a day to drive there from the city, and the closest town to the cabin was a long bike ride away. You would definitely need to improve your endurance there. Your mother helped you unpack your clothes and knickknacks. 

“Are you sure you’re okay here? There’s no cell reception this far out!” your mother asked worriedly. “All you have are those silly sun panels! We could use this as a vacation house. You don’t need to actually _live_ here you know!”

You turned to her and smiled, reassuring her that everything was fine. You really were going to be okay. There was a post office in town and you’d write to her, and if anything happened she’d know about it.

You did send letters the first few months in. When it turned into a standard ‘I’m doing okay. The weather is nice. I’m having fun.’ note, that’s when you stopped. You never did get replies anyway. 

But you were having fun. You learned to take a breath and do things at your own pace. Your grandfather’s will had also left you a hefty sum which only further spurred you to not waste this last chance. There was really nothing to lose. Instead you gained knowledge, patience, a few injuries, maybe a traumatic experience to call upon later, but most importantly: a friend. 

  
  
  


Spring is full of flowers and rolling in the grass and talking away at night lying in the clearing gazing at the stars. Koga can’t reply the majority of the time, but you knew he was listening. It was nice getting your thoughts out there. Your confliction on if you made the right choice moving out here, if you should have made more of an effort to be here earlier. When grandfather was still alive. Then maybe you could have met Koga earlier. Maybe you could have broken the curse by now. When it's those thoughts that tumble from your mouth Koga is always the one to shut you up with a paw to the face. 

During the weeks that Koga is out prowling alone, usually around the full moon, you immerse yourself with other things. First it was cleaning, then it became reading. When you had to bike into town you always made sure to check out the used book shop they had for anything interesting. Stumbling upon a book of myths and another on star charts and lunar cycles were what spurred you into your next obsession: cracking Koga’s curse.

The book of legends only contained a single entry about wolfmen and it didn’t sound like anything Koga mentioned so that was a failure. The moon guide however became your bible. With it you were able to calculate the next new moon, something calendars never told you. It also had footnotes on how tides worked and when the spiritual energy was strongest. Maybe the key to cracking Koga’s curse was figuring out what caused it in the first place and striking when the moon was weakest. The star charts were just fascinating in general and you enjoyed learning about them, laughing at how the brightest star was also a guard dog. Your life was just full of them.

Spring turns to summer; longer days and shorter nights. Nights being woken up by Koga crawling into bed with you and just listening to your heart beat slowly, still half asleep. Sometimes you’d pass right back out and forget he even visited. Other times you’d be kissed awake until the sun came up only to fall back asleep until noon.

You hated this cusp of spring to summer. Hated the heat, the bugs, the lost time. Everything was so abundant and thriving during this window, and yet you weren’t able to have the thing you needed most. Time.

You spend your alone time juggling between your new crochet hobby and rereading your book of myths, trying to find similarities between stories. Maybe there’s an overlap you missed. In your grandfather’s library he also had a book of fairy tales. One about a fox who wanted to be human jumps out at you. In the story the fox fell in love with a human and with the help of the forest nymphs, she transformed. During nights when she began to miss her family in the forest she would again turn into a fox. Unable to control her feelings and in turn her transformations, she fled her lover and lived a sad isolated life. Not enough of either to be with the ones she cared about. Stuck between human and animal, she died alone.

What if Koga was the same? His seemed more controlled. Only changing to the whims of the moon, but what if the sentiment was the same? You bring it up during a hot summer night when the two of you are lying under the stars. The moon is gone and the stars are able to shine bright in their clusters.

“So like I’m gonna die alone?” He asks.

You sigh.

“No, you missed the entire point! Like what if you wished so hard to actually be a wolf it happened, and then like …” It does sound kind of silly when you say it outloud. “I don’t know! The moon got angry because you thought of being human again? Maybe you betrayed it when you saw my grandfather?”

He scoffs.

“Maybe one day you’ll want to 100% be something and that would break it,” you finish.

“What if,” he hesitates. “What if that thought’s to be a wolf though?” 

His head turns to you.

“Is it?” you quietly ask. You’d be lying if you said you weren’t nervous of his answer. Would he rather be a wolf than be with you?

“No.”

The swelling of your heart overtakes you and you roll onto him for a kiss. He welcomes you, running his fingers through your hair and sliding his tongue against yours. He flips you onto the ground letting the grass tickle your nape as he slides his hands up your sides and you mirroring him.

“You’re allowed to,” you say between breaths. “Who doesn’t want to be free?” The thought of you never getting nights like these again scares you though. You’d choose his happiness over yours, but the deepest part of you knows you want him like this. The selfish part of you wants him for yourself.

Koga props himself up to look at you clearly. He flicks a hair away from your forehead and leans down to kiss it.

“We’ve gone through how many months of this?” he asks. “Would be so much easier if I could just split my time in half.” He rolls off you and stares back up at the sky. 

“Stay a wolf at night and just be human during the day. They’re nocturnal anyway. I can’t lie and say I don’t want to be with you,” He grabs for your hand to emphasize that point. “But I’d be lying to myself if I said that being human was more important. I like the power I have when I’m out there. The speed. The freedom. This has been my territory for years.”

“Plus you make a very good hound-dog so I can’t really complain,” you play off. “The safest I’ve ever felt.”

“I’m not your damn dog!”

You smile up at the night sky. Maybe you should wish on a shooting star. Wish that Koga’s wish comes true.

“I wish Koga was human during the day!” You shout for the entire night to hear. It echoes through the trees and wakes up a few birds, who you hear flutter out of their nests.

“What are you doing?” Koga asks flatly.

“Wishing on the stars,” You reply, yelling your wish out another time.

“Like that would work. I’m powered by the moon, remember?”

Oh, duh! You sit up and clasp your hands together extra hard. Wishing for mother moon to allow Koga to be a wolf whenever he wanted to instead of hogging him all for Herself. They could share him.

“You really are an idiot. The moon’s not even out!” He raises his arm to the sky and waves it in a flourish.

“Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not there.” That was in a passage you read in your lunar book. “It's directly between us and the sun. It’s still there.” 

Koga sighs and grabs at your head to shake it. Your hair gets tangled in his hands and you laugh even as your vision swims.

“I wish you weren’t such a pain in my ass!” 

“Gonna have to wish harder if you want that one to come true!” You snake your hands up his arms to tickle at his pits. He squirms and tries his best to keep you in a headlock but you come out victorious when he finally lets go to pull your hands away. 

Pushing you back to the ground he pins your hands over your head and retaliates with armpit tickles of his own.

“Paws off! Paws off!” you cry, kicking your feet in the air as your body tenses. He finally relinquishes his hold on you so you can catch your breath. Face to the sky you let out a yawn that feels like it’ll pop your jaw. It was getting late and your body must have used the last of its energy to fight off the beastly attack.

“Think it’s time to he-- Oh! A shooting star!” Yawn disrupted by excitement. “Make a wish!”

Koga rolls his eyes, but closes them anyway. You hope he’s really thinking of something.

“What did you wish for?” you curiously ask.

“I thought it wasn’t supposed to come true if you tell someone.” You frown. 

“Fiiiine.” You stand up and stretch. “Are you joining me in bed? Or should I escort myself?”

Koga pretends to think on it before lifting you into his arms bridal style and carrying you back inside. You’ll accept that. He carries you upstairs into your bedroom and carefully tucks you in. You make a comment about how gentlemanly he’s being and his reply is pinching the end of your nose before kissing your lips.

“You’re really not staying?” You give him the puppy eyes and pouty lip, and he returns it with a flat stare. 

“The sun’s up in like 2 hours.” You continue to pout. “Fine, but we’re going back downstairs. I hate being trapped up here in wolf form.” 

You raise your arms out of your blanket burrito and lace them around his neck. He reaches down to grab you again fully in his arms. You pretend to fall asleep cradled to his chest as he carries you downstairs to the couch. Kissing you on the lips one last time, Koga gently wraps you in the couch afghan and sits on the floor by your head. You turn so your hot breath tickles the hairs on his neck. He pretends to not notice. You whisper a tiny _I love you_ and smile when you see the tips of his ears turn red. 

Falling asleep you think you hear a quiet _me too._

You wake in the morning to no dog lying in the middle of your living room like normal, but a human being?! You wipe at your eyes and look outside to make sure you weren’t dreaming and it was in fact morning. It was. The sun was out. It was blaring through the window, into your eyes. Casting beams against your picture covered walls. Koga was sleeping on your floor. Human Koga. 

You feel the tears stream down your face before you even notice you’re crying. Dream or not you couldn’t contain yourself. Sobs wrack your body and you fill the air with warbled cries. Koga’s eyes shoot open, immediately on high alert. He rolls over and flocks to you asking if you’re hurt; patting your face with his hands to wipe your tears away, still not registering that he _shouldn’t_ be able to do that.

You shake your head and grab onto his tear-stained hands.

“It’s you!” You croak out. He looks down at your hands intertwined and you can see the gears moving in his head. Feel them click into place when he clenches your hands in his own, looking between the sunny window and your hands again. The look of confusion is clear as day. 

“I…” He pauses. “The fuck?” 

You laugh through your tears and throw your arms around his neck. He instinctively wraps his own around you.

“What did you wish for?” You whisper into his ear. A large sniffle follows.

He tightens his hold on you.

“For your stupid wish to come true,” he mutters. 

You laugh harder and cling to him, clawing at his back and staining his shoulder with the fresh flow of tears that spill out of you. 

“Can’t be stupid if you wanted it too.” You quip and your punishment was a kiss so aggressive you thought you were going to pass out. 

You were going to have to find Koga more clothes now, if he wasn’t restricted to one pair a month. Cook for two more often. Deal with all the bad habits he picked up in the forest. You think it’s a small price to pay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for getting this far! 
> 
> Follow @ JessOogami for more quality content.


	3. Domestic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Omake: It's your wolf boyfriend's birthday and human or not, the party must go on!
> 
> Doesn't need to be read with the other chapters. Just know that Koga turns into a human every night of a new moon, else wise he's just a typical wolf (read: pet).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last installment of this AU. If you slugged through the whole thing, thank you. 
> 
> For #ESrareshipweek Day 5 Prompt - Domestic

While riffling through papers in your grandfather's study--under the letters you and your mother sent, under the scraps of paper with to-do lists messily scribbled down--you find a stained notebook with notes jotted down about Koga. Well his name wasn't actually in it but 'young lad turned wolf at sundown' tips you off. You curiously pick it up to read fully and are disappointed when the points only fill half a page. Food he ate as a human. Education levels. Oh yeah Koga wouldn't have finished school. Your grandfather had been teaching him on and off it looked like. The thought of an old man trying to teach a wolf math fills your mind and makes you laugh.

The page had July 18th dated on it with no further description. He hadn't bothered to write it on the dotted lines, just scribbled half crooked on the page. You ask Koga about it during the next new moon. 

"Oh, my birthday," he says around a slab of meat fresh off the fire. 

"You mean to tell me I've  _ missed _ a birthday?" You were insulted.

Koga shrugs his shoulders and continues eating, like it didn't matter to him.

"Who cares 'bout stuff like that? I've forgotten about it honestly." 

This poor man. This poor poor man, chained to the whims of the moon, probably hasn't celebrated a birthday since he ran away years ago. That sounded awful. More awful than the fact he has been living with this curse for over half his life. 

"Don't give me eyes," he warns.

"I'm not giving any eyes," you reply, giving him the eyes.

Koga gets up from the table with his plate and washes it in the sink.

"I won't be human by then anyway so forget about it." He turns to point at you to emphasize.

You most definitely would not be forgetting about it.

  
  


You did not forget about it. Three months of hiding birthday hats and party favours you've purchased in town. Three months thinking about what a wolf would even want. 

You decide on an apple pie from the ones in the mini orchard to substitute a cake. You're not sure if Koga would find that appealing as a wolf, but it could be frozen and saved for later if not. You even found cute little birthday candles to stick in the top. You have no idea how old Koga is and he probably doesn't know either so you settle for two.

Noon rolls around when you're popping the pie out of the oven and letting it cool on the windowsill. You look out the window to see if Koga has returned yet. It's been 3 days since he said he had to go. Something about remarking territory. You made a comment about him marking the territory around here first and that turned into a sore back kind of morning. He better not intentionally be avoiding you on the day of his birth. Not like either of you actually pay attention to the date, only really counting the nights that pass by when the moon is nearly gone.

You pull your small stash of party supplies out of the closet under the stairs regardless and decorate the house. Zoo themed napkins for your own enjoyment splayed on the table. Zoo themed plates also for your enjoyment beside them. His gift was tucked into a large bag so Koga's paws could still get at it and left on the floor.

Now all there was left to do was wait. You do so by reading your latest thrift store find. 

Three chapters in you hear the sound of twigs crunching and you set your book down to greet the newcomer.

"Here comes the birthday boy!" You sing in the open doorway. Koga stops before he reaches the porch. 

"Oh come on!" You whine. He takes one step forward and immediately turns around when he sees the party hats you have in your hand.

You pull the elastic around your chin and snap yours onto your head.

"When was the last time you even celebrated?" He doesn't run away from you as you walk towards him. So he's just playing hard to get, huh? "I got you a gift and everything."

Koga turns his head to you in defeat and sits at your feet. You smile as you squat down to fit the party hat over his muzzle and settle it between his ears. You even replaced the elastic with a longer piece of yarn so it wouldn't snap. 

"You're so cute," you tease and scratch at his cheeks and head. Koga gives a low growl in return. "Yeah, yeah."

You reach around him, not intimidated at all, and give him a hug. Your words are muffled as you nuzzle into his coat and wish him a happy birthday. You squeeze his neck harder when those wishes turn into 'I love you's and harder still when Koga awkwardly wiggles his head around to either nuzzle you back or escape your clutches.

You let go and straighten yourself, ushering Koga to follow. The look of utter defeat was one you never thought you'd see in a wolf's eyes, but there it is. His expression improves however when you bring a platter of wild game out for him to eat.

"A feast for the King," you declare, placing the platter on the ground and bowing graciously before him. For yourself you have a much smaller plate of venison. "Dig in."

Koga does so with gusto. It reminds you of a puppy scarfing down every last bit of kibble in its dish. Maybe a little more savage looking but the sentiment was the same. He was just your giant puppy, though you would never say that aloud. 

"There's apple pie if you want it, I wasn't sure," He shakes his head and the party hat that somehow stayed on during his meal flops off and hangs from his neck. He paws at it until his claws manage to rip the thread off and tosses it to the ground.

Alright. You'll save the candles and that until next time then.

"Okay then one sec," and you fetch his gift from inside, leaving the emptied plates on the kitchen counter.

Koga's licking his chops when you return and place the bag on the ground in front of him. He looks up at you with distrust written all over his face and you only smile in your chair as he carefully tears the bag open.

Inside is the largest stuffy you've ever crocheted thus far. It was supposed to be a rabbit but you must admit the tail was rather lacking and the ears were uneven. You were used to palm sized things and this was more like the size of six. He grabs it with his jaw and it lets out a large squeak that has him dropping it in disgust and you roaring with laughter.

"There's only so many options for dog gifts!" You reason. "I thought about a collar with a bell so I know when you come home, but even I know that's probably not smart for hunting." 

Koga grabs the toy again and places it in your lap. You squeak it a couple times and throw it up in the air. Koga of course doesn't take the bait to catch it or anything.

"You're no fun." 

Instead he puts his paws on the sides of your chair to hoist himself up and give you a wet kiss across the mouth. Tongue manages to not only catch your lips, but also your nose and bangs. A full swipe from chin to forehead. Disgusting.

"You're welcome," you groan as you wipe the slobber off with your sleeve. "Well that's all I got. Birthday boy gets to call the shots now. What do you want to do?" 

Koga gives you a less sloppy kiss on the cheek and jumps off your lap to go inside. You grab the discarded hat, rabbit, and ripped up party bag and follow him in. Koga is curled up on the rug watching you come in through the door. He wags his tail when you make eye contact. Snuggle time? That you could do. 

You grab the book off the table and open it to where you left off nesting yourself into the curve of Koga's body. If it wasn't summer and a zillion degrees outside you'd have turned the fireplace on and probably ended up falling asleep to the sound of Koga's heartbeat. It pumped quickly through your ears even now and the steadiness of it calmed you.

"Happy birthday Koga," you say once more for good measure and reach back to pet his head. He kicks you in the side with his back leg. "We can have a part two next week. No running away from that one either."

Another kick followed by a snort which you take as an okay. You settle back into Koga's stomach fluff and spend the rest of the evening reading, eventually succumbing to the rapid beat of Koga's heart and falling asleep. 

  
  
  


"So?" You ask with a spoonful of pie still in your mouth.

Koga at least has the manners to swallow his mouthful before answering.

"Good."

"Good." 

When he walked through the door that evening you were already there with lit candles in the pie and party hat back on your head. Koga rolled his eyes, but nevertheless walked over and blew them out before kissing you with the smoke dissipating between you. 

"Got you one more gift," you say, bringing out a small blue box.

Koga pulls at the gold ribbon and lifts the lid off to reveal a black collar with a tiny gold bell attached. He pulls it out of the box with his thumb and index finger like it's the filthiest thing to touch.

"Thought this was a no," he frowns.

Koga flinches when you take it from his hands, probably expecting you to dress him up. Instead you undo the clasp and secure it around your own neck. The bell jingles as you pull out strands of hair that got snagged in the back.

"And I figured you'd like your own pet for a day." You try to act coy, but you can't keep the smile off your face seeing the blush blooming across Koga's cheeks. 

He plays off the embarrassment by hooking his finger under the collar and pulling you close, letting the bell ring. He's just trying to act all dominant when you can clearly see his non-existent tail wagging. 

"I hope the master spoils his pets as well as I do," you whisper in his ear as your fingers walk up his chest and play with the collar of his shirt. 

"Only if they behave," Koga warns and whisks you upstairs, house empty except for the jingling of the bell and the noises that escape you two. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Thanks for putting up with my self indulgence. 
> 
> Find me @ JessOogami for more quality content ;)

**Author's Note:**

> This got way out of hand and it just reached that point where I had to go with it and finish it, good or bad. 
> 
> As always follow @ JessOogami for more 'quality' content.


End file.
